N-peterh



5 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

I 0. H. POND.

ElectricaI'Visual Indicator No. 232,415. A PatentedSept. 21, 1-880.

ATTEST; -!NVENTORI MOW,

N. PEI'ERS, PHOTO UTHDGHAPHERI WASHINGTON. D c.

(No Model.) 5 Sheets-Sheet-2.

Q'HPOND.

Electrical Visual Indicator.

No. 232,415. Patented Sept. 21, i880.

mumxmm S. PHO10-UTKQ6RAPNER, WASHINGTON n c.

' .(No Model.)

5 l r o. u w 0 1 d n DI N1 O P S 1 HV '1 Ga 0 1 r t 0 e 1 FL Patented Sept. 21, I880.

INVENT-OR:

ATTEST.

L m m. i u:

HOGRAPHER, WASHINGTON D C (N0 Modeh) 5 Sheets--Sheet 4.

G. H. POND.

Electrio 'l Visual Indicator.

No. 232,415. V Patented Sept. 21,1880.

' WEN Pi= INVENTURZ ATTE8T Wm me wave-1 /@A m%m w ge 56 N PETERS, PHOTO-LJYNOGRAPMER, wAsHmGTON, D C.

NlTED STATES PATENT twice.

ELECTRICAL VISUAL INDICATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming ,part of Letters Patent No. 232,415, dated September 21, 1880.

Application filed May 6, 1880.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER, H. POND, a citizen of the United States, residing in the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain Improvements in Electro-Visual Indicators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention is intended for use with an automatic telegraph or electric-signaling circuit as a fire or burglar alarm indicator or hotel-annunciator.

It relates to that class of indicators employing a series of visible marks or characters, one or more of which will be exposed or pointed out by the operation of the instrument; and its object is to secure great rapidity of operation and perfect accuracy by the use of simple and inexpensive mechanism, while employing but a single circuit between the sending or signaling station and the indicator.

In the drawings, Figure l is a side elevation of my indicator mechanism, designed to indicate one of a series of ten figures or other numbers or characters. Fig. 2is a plan of the same, partly in horizontal section, taken in the plane of the lineman in Fig.1. Fig.3 is a front elevation of the same. Fig. 4: is a fragmentary front elevation of that part of the apparatus included within the line 3 y in Fig. 1. Fig. 5 is a plan view, showing a modification of the actuating-magnet, and illustrating the means for electrically operating the samein its modified form. Fig. 6 represents a modification of the indicating mechanism. Figs. 7 and 8, which are upon a smaller scale than the preceding, illustrate my indicator in its complete form, designed to indicate numbers from 1 to 99, Fig. 7 being a vertical section taken in the plane of the line a z, and Fig. 8 a front view, the right half being in section in the plane of the line 42 1;, showing the units-indicating system in front elevation, and the left'half being in section on the line to 'w, the tens-indicating system having been removed, and Fig. 9 is a diagram showing the circuit-connections.

Referring to Figs. 1, 2, and 3. of the drawings, let A designate a fall or slide which is capable of an intermittent descending movement; B, an electro-magnet, the movement of Whose armature (J governs the descent of the 'fall A, and D, a disk or wheel which tends scent.

(No model.)

to revolve upon its axis in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 1, and which is restrained from moving until the fall has commenced its de- The fallAis so connected to the armature G that at each movement of the latter it drops through a short space, so that the extent of its fall or the sum of the short spaces through which it drops will depend upon the number of movements made by the armature. To this end the fall A is provided with a series of projecting teeth or spurs, a a, arranged in two rows or series, one series being upon one side and the other upon the other side, and the two staggered or arranged in alternation, a tooth on one side standing opposite a space on the other, as shown in Fig. l.

The lever which bears the armature O terminates in, or is in operative connection with, a

pallet, c, which engages the teeth a a, but

which can engage but one of said teeth at a time, and to which themovement of the armature imparts a laterally-reciprocating movement. The fall is normally raised so that its lowest tooth to rests upon the pallet c and is upheld thereby. When the pallet moves to the opposite side it passes from under the said tooth, and the fall descends until its second tooth rests on the pallet. When the pallet returns to its first position the fall is again unsupported, and again drops until its third tooth (immediately over its first) rests on the pallet; and these operations are repeated as many times in each particular instance as the movements of the pallet are repeated. The movements of the pallet being directly dependent on those of the armature, and those of the latter on the breaks and closures of the electric circuitinwhich the magnet B is placed, it follows that to drop the fall any desired number of spaces it will only be necessary to close and break the said circuit a corresponding number of times. Thus, assuming that the circuit stands normally open, (the plan provided for in the drawings,) and the armature consequently drawn away from the magnet by its retracting-spring, and assuming, also, that it is desired to drop the fall four spaces, the circuit will be first closed, then broken, then closed again, andthen broken again, which will give the fall an intermittent descent through; four spaces and leave its fifth tooth resting on the pallet. It will be understood that this arrangement of teeth a a and pallet c virtually constitutes an electromagnetic escapement, and I will hereinafter refer to it as such, designating it by the letter E.

It is evident this .escapement might be varied in many ways. As, for instance, the teeth we might project outwardly instead of inwardly, and be engaged by two pallets, c, on opposite sides,one to engage the teeth on one side and the other those on the opposite side, and both moving together. Furthermore, the opposite teeth might be on the same level instead of staggered, and the palletsbe of unequal height; or the pallet 0 might be fixed to the fall, and the teeth a a be movable and connected to the armature, so as to move laterally with it; or a rotary scape-wheel might be used with vibrating pallets arranged 011 its opposite sides,and the fall A act as a weight to rotate the scape- Wheel, being connected thereto by gear-teeth or a cord.

The fall A carries a tooth or pin, 1), projectin g toward the wheel D, and the latter is provided with a series of pins or teeth, d d, which project in the opposite direction, and are arranged in a progressive series, being set on equally distant radii, and successively nearer the center of the wheel. Their relative arrangement is shown by the dotted guide-lines in Fig. 1.

The wheel D is given a normal tendency to revolve in the direction of the arrow by means of a weight or spring acting through a cord upon a barrel, 6, fixed to it. As the wheel when it starts to revolve will tend to move con- 'tinually faster, and as it is desirable to have it move at a uniform speed, I give the barrel 0 a cam shape, forming it of a quick spiral and arranging it, as shown in Fig. 1, that the leverage of the cord in feeding of from it will be greatest at starting, and will rapidly diminish as it revolves.

The wheel D preferably bears upon its surface the numbers or other characters to be indicated, and is arranged to expose but one at a time through an opening, f,in theinclosingease of the apparatus. (Shown in Fig. 7 The angular distance apart of the pins d d corresponds to the distance apart of these characters, and the radial distance apart of the pins corresponds to the distance apart of the teeth a a of the escapement.

When the fall Ais in its highest position its tooth 1) stands in the rotary path of the first pin d on the wheel, so that by the contact of the two the wheel is kept from revolving. When the fall begins its descent and its tooth 1) moves down away from the said pin (1, it no longer restrains the latter, and the wheel D is released and commences to revolve. If the fall stops after having traversed one space or dropped onto its second tooth a, the tooth b will stop in the path of the second pin d, and will intercept the movement of the latter, thus stopping the wheel D and causing it to of further movements within the scope of its construction, so as to display any other figure.

Whenever the fall stops its tooth b is in the path of one of the pins (1 d, and when that pin encounters it the motion of the wheel D will be arrested and the character corresponding to that pin will be displayed.

Thus it will be seen that while the motion of the fall is intermittent that of the wheel is continuous or without interruption from its starting until its stoppage by the fall, and the characters upon its surface which precede the one displayed are moved past the opening f, Fig. 7, at such a speed as to be indistinguishable, or at least not readily legible, that none may be read until the correct character is displayed.

Heretofore in all indicators employing but one circuit and one magnet to control the movement of the character-bearing or indexbearing part the latter has moved intermittently, shifting from one character to the next and stopping an appreciable period, then shifting to the succeeding character and stopping again, and so on; and in all indicators in which the movement is made directly from the point of starting to the character to be displayed, as many magnets and as many circuits or branch circuits have been used as there were characters to be indicated, making the apparatus very complicated and expensive.

My improved indicator combines the simplicity and cheapness of the first-mentioned construction with the rapidity of action and freedom from misreading of the second.

My invention is susceptible of numerous modifications. A slide or drop may be used in place of the wheel D, and a horizontallymoving slide in place of the vertical fall A, as shown in Fig. 6, without material change in the working of the apparatus. The slide A is given a tendency to move in one direction by the action of a weight or spring, and the slide D may be similarly arranged and acted upon by an extraneous Weight or spring, or it may be arranged vertically and adapted to fall by its own weight, as shown.

Another modification would consist in making the parts A and D both rotary, mounting them, preferably, upon the same axis, the part A being adapted to move faster than the part D, and being controlled in its movement by a suitably-arranged escapement.

It is not essential that the pins d d on the part D shall be arranged successively lower, as they might be somewhat irregularly ar- IIO ranged, provided their arrangement corresponded with that of the characters, and provided, in any case, that the partAbe sospeeded that its tooth b shall cross the path of each pin dthat it is not to intercept before that pin reaches its path. In lieu of pins 61 d, holes or sockets might be formed in the wheel D, and the tooth b be made a spring stop or latch to enter them, and when pins 61 d are employed a spring-socket might be employed in lieu of the tooth b.

I prefer that the parts A and D shall have a normal tendency to travel in the directions described; but if desired they may be normally in equilibrium and be moved by some other parts when the latter are released-by the action of the magnet B. Furthermore, instead of holding the part D in its normal position by the abutting of its first pin d against the tooth b, an independent catch may be provided and be withdrawn to release the said part D by the action of the magnet, and in any case the part D may be released or started simultaneously with the part A, or somewhat thereafter.

In Figs. 1, 2, and 3 I have shown asingle magnet, B, to draw the armature O in one direct-ion and a retracting-spring to draw it back. In lieu of this lmay use an additional magnet in place of the spring, as shown in Fig. 5, it being arranged opposite the first magnet, with the armature 0 between the two, in which case a local circuit and relay will be used, the circuit being divided into two branches, with one of the magnets in each branch, and the relay shown at J being double acting, its lever serving as a switch to direct the current from the local battery into one branch or the other of the local circuit, according as it rests against one .or the other of two anvils, between which it vibrates, so that when the main line is open thelocal current traverses one of the branches, and when the former is closed said current traverses the other branch.

The arrangement of relay and circuits is clearly shown in Fig. 5, in which the main or line circuit is arranged to be normally closed, and the eii'ect upon the indicator is the same as with the arrangement shown in the other figures. When but one magnet is used it may be placed in a local relay-circuit, or in the main circuit, as desired, and it may be arranged to operate with its circuit normally closed or nor mally open, as circumstances may dictate. In all the figures of the drawings I have shown the apparatus as adapted to operate in a circuit which is normally open, a mere reversal of parts being required to enable it to operate in one that is normally closed.

It will be evident that instead of the characters being marked upon the part D and moved before an opening, they mi ghtbe marked upon some stationary part, as a dial, and a screen provided with an opening correspond ing to the opening 1 be connected with the part D'and moved in front of the characterbearing surface; or an index or pointer might be moved by the part D to point out any one of the characters.

I will now describe the accessory parts which I combine with the devices hereinbet'ore described in the construction of an indicator for practical use, and in doing so I will refer to the parts already described as of the construction shown in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, that being the preferable one.

To prevent a rebound ot' the wheel D after any of its pins strikes the tooth b, I provide a locking device. (Shown best in Figs. 1 and 4. The part of the fall A bearing the tooth b is permitted some lateral play, and is connected, through the medium of a rod, ,1, with a lever, F, provided with a spring-tail, which tail is adapted to engage one of a series of pins, shoulders, stops, or notches, h h, on the wheel D.

I have shown the stops it h as pins and the tail of the lever F as provided with a hole, h, to engage them.

The lever F normally stands in the position shown in full lines in Fig.1, permitting the pins h h to pass it freely as the wheel D revolves;

but when a pin, d, strikes the tooth b the momentum of the wheel drives the part A to one side, and its movement is imparted to the lever F, shifting it to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, when the hole h passes over and confines one of the pins h, which at that time stands just opposite it, thus locking the wheel and keeping it securely in place.

To prevent the return movement of the lever F, I provide another lever, G, which is normally upheld by the end of the lever F, and which, when that end moves back, drops down in front of it and holds it back, as shown in dotted lines in Figs. 1 and at and in full lines in Fig. 7. Thus, even in case the fall A were to accidently drop still lower, the wheel D will be securely held in the correct position. When the lever G is lifted a spring behind the lever F forces the latter out, so that its end again holds up the lever G.

After the operation of the device it is desirablethat the magnet B shall be switched out of circuit. This I accomplish by means of the lever G, which acts as a switch, being arranged in connection with two opposite contacts 1 and 2, with one or other of which it is always in contact. Awire is permanently connected to the switch G at 3, and the switch, when raised in its normal position, is in connection with the contact 1; but when dropped 6, the lever F being replaced by an elbow-lever, which is tilted by the side movement of the part A.

Two or more wheels, D, will usually be employed to indicate higher numbers than 9, as shown in Figs. 7 and 8, each additional wheel being provided with a duplication of the fall A, escapement E, locking-lever F, and switch G. In this case the wire 5, coming from the contact 2 of the first switch G, leads (indirectly) to the point 8 of the second switch, so that the operation of the first switch shifts the circuit to the magnet 13 of the second indicating system, that the subsequent breaks or closures in the circuit will operate the second system instead of continuing the operation of the first.

It will be evident, with the arrangement of parts shown, the operating-circuit being nor.- mally open and performing the starting movement upon its first closure, that should the conclusion of the operation of the first system leave the circuit closed, as it would do in indicating 0, 2, 4, 6, or S, the switching of the circuit to the second system would excite its magnet B and drop its fall one space, and unless the circuit were again broken before the second pin (I encountered the tooth b, which, in practice, could rarely occur, the second system would display 0, and be switched out of circuit, thus indicating a wrong number and causing confusion and error. To correct this inaccuracy of the instrument I employ what may be called a correcting-switch. (Shown at H in Figs. 7, 8, and 9.) The use of the form of correcting-switch shown necessitates the employment of the double-acting relay J and the arrangement of branch circuits. (Shown in Fig. 9.) The local circuit (lettered i) is divided into two branches, 1" and '5 which terminate at the relay J in anvils or contacts j and j between which the relay-lever plays, so that as one'branch circuit is closed the other is broken. The branch 1" is again divided into as many branches 1' as there are indicating-systems, and the magnet B of one system is arranged in each such branch, the switches G G determining through which branch the current shall flow.

The branch 2' contains a magnet, I, which operates the correcting-switch H, which switch consists of a bar, spring, or lever fulcrumed or fastened at 6, and having two contacts, 7 and 8, between which it plays, beingnormally upheld against 7 by the armature of the magnet I, which rests under it when drawn away from its magnet by its retractingspring. The contact 7 is in the branch circuit i and connects with the magnet I, and the wire 5 from the first switch G leads to the point6 of the switch H. With the arrangement shown, if the'first system stops when the branch 23 is open, its switch G brings the switch H into the circuit 71 which is closed, and the current traverses the wire 5, connection 6, switch H, contact 7, magnet I, and through the branch wire 1? to the contact j at the relay, thus exciting the magnet I, which draws its armature from under the switch H, and permits the latter to fall from contact 7 onto contact 8, which leads by wire 9 to connection 3 of the second switch G, thus shunting the current from the magnet I. The next closure of the circuit 2" will then operate the second indicating-system. If, however, the first system stops with the circuit z" closed, the magnet I cannot act, as the circuit i is broken at j at the relay, and the second magnet B cannot act, as the circuit *5 is broken at 8, s that the relay must vibrate to j so as to operate the switch H before the circuit t can be completed. Thus each indicating system is put absolutely under the control of the relay, and every possibility of a misindication is provided against.

The several parts in Fig. 9 are shown as having completed their operation, and the relay J is shown as arranged to be operated by a main or line circuit which is normally closed.

To restore the apparatus to its normal position after its operation, 1 provide the following described setting device: Referring to Figs. 7 and 8, K K are vertical sliding rods, each of which is provided with a cam, 70, to engage a toe or wipe, it, on the elastic tail of the lever F, with a shoulder or toe, l, to engage the switch-lever G, with a spring-arm, m, to engage the fall A, and with a shoulder, a, (which I have shown as its upper end,) to engage the switch H, and the two rods are connectedtogether by a cross-bar, 0.

L is a verticallv -sliding frame having a cross-bar, p, which, as the frame descends, bears down on levers q q, whose outer ends connect with cords r 1", which extend up to the barrels e, and wind thereon in the opposite direction to the cords which revolve the wheels forward. K and L are two cams or eccen trics mounted on a shaft, M, which bears a crank, N. The cam K acts upon the cross bar 0 of the rods K, and the cam L upon the cross-bar p of the frame L. The cams being rotated by the crank, the rods K K are pushed up and the frame L is forced down. As each rod K moves up its cam 7c first forces back the tail of the lever F until it is disengaged from the pin it and the wheel D is released, when the depression of the lever q pulls down the cord T, which unwinds from the barrel e and rotates the wheel D back to its normal position against the power of its actuating-spring. While this is being accomplished the springarm 'm is pushing up the fall A, the teeth a a of which, being inclined on their upper sides, readily pass the pallet c. 'When the rod K is near the end of its movement its shoulder i strikes the switch G, and lifts it until the lever F passes under and sustains it, and the shoulder or end it strikes the switch H, and lifts it until the armature of the magnet I passes under and sustains it. Thus all the parts are returned to their normal positions by one turn of the crank N.

To assist in starting the fall A, I provide a leaf-spring, 8, (shown best in Fig. 3,) which presses down upon thefall when the latter is in its highest position. This overcomes the slight friction caused by the contact of its tooth b with the first pin 61. When the fall has dropped about one space it passes beyond the pressure of the spring s, and completes its descent by its weight only.

In some cases the wheel D may be dispensed with by attaching a number-drop to the fall A and spacing its teeth a a to correspond with the spacing of the numbers or other characters. With this construction the pallet 0 must be vibrated with great rapidity, and the breaks and closures of circuit which control it must be very accurately timed, or the descent of the fall will be intermittent and not continuous.

The circuit which controls my indicator will be provided with some known or easily-contrived device for breaking and closing it with the desired rapidity, the only essential being that when two or more figures are to be displayed the circuit, after telegraphing the first figure, must remain in that condition, either open or closed, as the case may be, a sufficient time to permit the first wheel to operate its switch G, after which it may telegraph the second figure.

I make no claim in this application to any thing embodied in my allowed application for patent filed November 13, 1879, upon the subject of which my present invention is an improvement.

I claim as my invention- 7 1. In a visual indicator, the combination of an electricallyactuated escapement with a non-intermittently moving part whose movement is controlled by the escapement, and the extent of whose movement determines which figure or character of a series is to be indicated, substantially as set forth.

2. An electro-visual indicator consisting of an intermittently-moving part whose movement is controlled by an electromagnetic escapement, in combination with an uninterruptedly-moving part, the extent of whose movement is determined by the extent of movement of the first-named part, and which itself determines which character of a series is to be indicated, substantially as set forth.

The combination of a part, A, capable of successive short progressive movements, an electromagnetic escapement, E, capable of controlling the number of such movements, anda part, D, capable of continuous movement from its starting to its stoppage, and

' adapted to be stopped at any one of a series of points by the action of the part A, and the extent of its movement determining which character of a series shall be indicated, substantially as set forth.

4. The combination of a moving part, D, bearing a series of pins or stops, d d, arranged successively in advance of one another and each moving in a separate path, with an electrically-controlled tooth or stop, b, adapted to move across the paths of the said pins, and by stopping in the path of either to arrest the movement of the part D, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

5. The combination of magnet B, armature O, pallet 0, fall A, having teeth a co and tooth or stop Z), and wheel or its equivalent, D, hearing a series of pins or stops, at at, substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

6. The combination, with electrically-controlled tooth or stop I) and wheel D, bearing pins or stops d d, of a locking device for said wheel, adapted to engage and hold it, and adapted to be operated by the striking of a pin, d, against the tooth 11, substantially as set forth.

7. The combination of electrically-actuated fall A, bearing tooth 1), wheel D, bearing pins d d, 'rod g, and locking-lever F, substantially as set forth.

8. The combination of electrically-actuated fall A, bearing tooth or stop 1), wheel D, bearing pins or stops d d, and stops h h, rod g, and lever F, having an elastic tail which :is formed with a hole or socket, h, substantially as set forth.

9. The combination of electro-magnet B, escapement E,tooth or stop b, controlled thereby, and moving partD, provided with pins or stops d d, with a switch, Gr, adapted to be operated by the stoppage of the part D, and arranged to switch the magnet B out of circuit, substantially as set forth.

10. The combination of electro-magnet B, escapement E, tooth or stop b, and wheel D, hearing pins or stops 01 (Z, with a switch, G, having contacts 1 and 2 and permanent connection 3, and arranged to be operated through rod 9 and lever F, substantially as set forth.

11. The combination of electrically-actuated tooth or stop I) and wheel D, bearing pins or stops at d, with cam-barrel 6, connected to said wheel and having wound thereon a cord which is in connection with a weight or spring, and tends constantly to unwind therefrom and thereby revolve the wheel, substantially as set forth.

ICC

12. The combination of fall A, having teeth I a engaged by an electrically-actuated pallet, c, with a starting-spring, 8, arranged substantially as hereinbefore set forth.

13. The combination, with electrically-controlled fall A, bearing tooth or stop I), and wheel D, bearing pins or steps cl (1, and acted on by a spring or weight tending normally to revolve it in one direction, with a resetting device consisting of an upwardly-movin g elastic arm engaging the said fall, and a downwardly-moving lever acting through a cord upon the said wheel and adapted to rotate the same backward against the power of its spring or weight, substantially as set forth.

14. The combination, with electro-magnet B, escapement E, fall A, bearing tooth or stop I1,

wheel D, bearing pins or stops d d, and switch G, of a resetting device consisting of a vertically-moving part engaging and lifting said fall and engaging and replacing said switch, and with means for returning said wheel to its normal position, substantially as set forth.

15. The combination of two electrically-actuated indicator systems adapted to operate successively and each to advance one character for each break or closure of their actuating-circuit, their actuating-magnets being arranged in separate branches of said circuit and provided with a switch to shunt the first branch out of and the second branch into the said circuit upon the completion of the operation of the first system, With a correcting-switch operated by a separate electro-magnet and adapted, in case the first system ceases its operation with the actuating-circuit in the condition (either broken or closed) prearranged to effect the starting of the second system, to keep the magnet of the second system out of circuit until it has been itself operated by a change in the condition of the actuating-circuit, thereby preventing the premature opera tion of the second system substantially as set forth.

16. The combination of eircuitz', divided into branches t" and 2' controlled by double-actin g relay J, its branch 6 subdivided into two or more branches, i and the actuating-magnet B of an electro-visual indicator arranged in each of said branches, with one or more switches,

Gr, adapted to shunt one branch i out of, and the next branch i into, connection with the branch *5, and with one or more correctingswitches, H, each actuated by a separate electro-magnet, I, arranged in the branch circuit & and adapted, in case the switch G shifts the branch circuits 1' while the circuit '6 is in the condition (either opened or closed)prearran ged to excite the magnet B which is next to act to withhold the circuit from the branch i containing said magnet until it has been itself operated by a change in the condition of the actuating-circuit, and by its operation to effectthe complete connection of said branch i with the branch z", substantially as shown in Fig. 9, and as set forth.

17. The combination of elcctro-magnetB, eseapement E, tooth or stop I), and moving part- D, bearing pins or stops d d, and constituting an indicating system, with another similar system and with a switch, G, adapted to be actuated by the operation of the first system, and acting to switch the magnet B of the first system out of circuit and that of the second system into circuit, substantially as set forth.

In witness whereof I have hereunto signed my name in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHESTER H. POND.

Witnesses;

ARTHUR G. FRASER, HENRY OONNETT. 

